Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-09-16
THE BREEDERS MEETING.

THE BREEDERS MEETING.
The third annual meeting of the Yer
mont association of Road and Trotting
Horse Breeders opened at Rutland on
Wednesday morning, Sept. Z, under
lowering sky; however, all took heart
from the assurance of our genial presi-
dent that the weather was guaranteed,
and after a slight sprinkle to lay the
dust, the clouds rolled away and the
guaranty was splendidly fulfilled in three
days of perfect weather.
The horses, colts and fillies entered for
the speed contests, for premiums, and for
general exhibition, numbered about four
hundred, there being fifty-seven paid-up
entries in the races alone. Some were
selected stock, purchased abroad and
brought here to mingle with the native
blood; but by far the greater part were
''to the manor born" with the strength
of the hills in their snews and the beau
ty of form and action about them that
have so long been the pride and glory of
the horses of Vermont. In the number
of animals shown, and in the merit of
the young trOtters, the meeting far ex-
celled either of the two former meetings.
The attendance doubled the combined at
tendance of those two meetings, number
ing in the three days nearly or quite ten
thousand people. The arrangements
were very perfect with one or two eXcep-
hau I
trains from the north, and also arrange
ments for bringing our numerous friends
from over the lake and carrying them
back the same day. These will be rene
died next year. Great credit is due to
Mr.. E. d. Kinds, the superintendent, for
the excellent quarters furnished for the
animals exhibited and for general eff
cient and careful management. In fact,
every officer and member of the associa-
ton seemed jealous to contribute to the
success of the enterprise and from them
the entire meeting seemed to take tone
and spirit. Drunkenness, rowdyism and
gambling were conspicuous by their alb.
sence and the great throng of people was
as orderly as soldiers on parade. The
races were honestly fought, with one OF
two cases of doubt which will be men.
TONED later, and the judging by Messrs
A. b. Hall of Bratteboro, William
Robertson of Putney and Geo. Ham
mond of Middlebury, was prompt, fail
and generally satisfactory. There is one
matter, however, that should be changed
A distance flag should be set up and dis
lance rigidly enforced. 1t was perfectly
apparent at this meeting that the barring
of distance might be greatly abused |,
enables any competitor 10 Jog around il
any given heat and let his neighbor drive
mp for the next heat.
From the multitude of animals showI
it will be impossible to particularize, ex
cept in cases of extraordinary merit
This was by far the greasest and mos
successful exhibition of road and trottina
horses ever made in this State and ha.
probably never been surpassed in New
England. Strangers, particularly horse
men from other States, of whom man,
were present, were greatly struck by the
uniform elegance and beauty of the Yer
mont horses. Many young horses changed
hands, some of them at very high fig
ures. Many ladies attended this meet
ing, as did also Gov. Ormsbee, Congress
man Stewart and numerous other gentle
men in high position, and from all W,
have received words of encouragement
and praise. Ii is the universal belle
among intelligent men that these meet
ings have already added largely to tn,
worth of the horses of the State, an(
that its future influence will be of valu,
hard to overestimate. At this meeting
our best two-year-old speed has been re
duced from the rate of three minutes (by
Ethol last year, to ;43 (by IL. T. c.
and but for Ollie Woodwards having in
terfered with our three-year-old race by
buying and drawing X. ID. F., the grea
three-year-old son of Aristos, we should
very likely haye carried our three-year
old record below the lowest outside o.
Kentucky and California.
As II. ID. F. is doubtless the greatest
trotter of his age ever bred in this State
and as he bids fair to take high ranl